Chapter Text
La Vie Est Belle, Kiyoko’s flower shop, provides a wide range of flowers: artificial, fresh, and preserved. During a rainy August afternoon, the DANCE Magazine in coordination with the Tokyo Dance Company contacted them to decorate the venue for a magazine photoshoot and the venue for the gala night. This was their first big project after two years of being in the business, aside from receiving arrangement requests for weddings. Kiyoko still recalls how she didn’t hesitate the offer being a frustrated ballerina herself. Months of planning with the editorial team led them to just a day before the photo shoot.
“Prima ballerina Misaki Hana and danseur noble Sawamura Daichi are ready to bloom like fresh flowers of spring on their upcoming stage debut of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ on the 12th of March,” Suga read the entertainment news out loud. “I’ve never heard of them until this project. They look beautiful.”
“I read in an article that there are rumors that they’re dating, and they are eyeing for a scholarship to an international school,” Kiyoko gossiped. “Anyway, let’s finish packing these then call it a day. We’ll meet here at six, and don’t forget to wear all-black apparel.”
“Roger, taichou!”
The next morning, for the first time in a while, Suga arrived at the shop before Kiyoko did. He had barely slept from the excitement. Living only two floors above the shop meant Kiyoko would always be the one to open it. They both wore black button-down shirts and jeans, with Kiyoko wearing her trusted pair of heels and Suga with his gray sneakers.
“Good morning, Kiyoko-san! Suga-san, hello!” greeted Ryuu, the son of the farmer who supplies their fresh flowers. Ryuu was more than willing to help them to and from the venue with his family’s van. “Ah, Kiyoko-san, let me carry those for you.”
“It’s alright, I can handle these. Help us arrange this inside, instead.”
“You can leave it to me!” Suga giggled at how obvious Tanaka’s huge crush on Kiyoko was, and how she pretended not to know. Years of working under Kiyoko’s wings had him waiting for the day when Tanaka would confess to his boss - or even ask for her hand in marriage. Ah, love birds , he sighed to himself. He, too, would love to someday meet someone who would give his all for him and only him. Maybe this time, he’d meet someone who would care for him, not like his previous girlfriends who thought of Suga as needy and too much to handle.
“Good morning. We’re from La Vie Est Belle,” Kiyoko announced to the staff.
“Ah, perfect timing! You may begin setting up at the staircase over there. The home service is still cleaning the pool; that will be the last area for everyone’s setup. As mentioned, please wear your ID so we know who’s who.”
“Thank you. We’re under your care,” they bowed to one another.
Every person was working at a fast pace, but halted when the models came in. Suga couldn’t make out what they really looked like with caps and masks covering their faces, but he truly admired their ballet builds. The dancers greeted everyone, and Suga noticed how the danseur noble gave him a soft look. He wondered if he was the only one that received such a look.
Wait, what?! A guy?! Really?! he complained. Why would my heart beat fast over that?! He continued as he shook away the thought and focused on his work.
“Kiyoko-san, may I have a word?” requested the producer. They stepped away from where Suga was standing, but close enough for him to overhear the conversation. “The dance company is suddenly requesting a bouquet of flowers to be held by the prima ballerina. They want the props to look authentic, so artificials are a no-go, and maybe an extra one as a gift - I’m paying for the extras, don’t worry. Would you happen to have any?”
“We do, but we’re still not done setting up, and the extra flowers would be back at the shop.”
“I see,” the producer sighed.
“Excuse me, taichou,” Suga whispered. “I can do it.” Kiyoko’s eyes widened.
“But--”
“I can go alone, Tanaka can help you here. I’ll be here in time for the models’ shoot. I’ll take the train, it’s faster that way.”
“Alright. The props have to consist of pink and white flowers, add some accents of gold or yellow; it doesn’t have to be wrapped in paper. Maybe use a gold ribbon if we still have any. Call me if you need anything.”
Suga carefully made his way out of the venue then dashed his way to the train station. Thank god the venue was only twenty minutes away by train. His arrangement will consume a lot of time, but it’s all or nothing.
He nearly dropped the keys in an attempt to swiftly unlock the door, shouting curses in his head. Muttering the word “flower,” to himself as he began to think of what he should use. Grabbing white peonies, pink garden roses, and a bunch of gypsophilas. “These would be perfect,” he said as he grabbed a couple of dried twigs and formed them into a heart shape, adding a few myrtles as fillers to the arrangement. Finishing the look with a single yellow daisy, he wrapped the stems with a chunky white organza ribbon.
After a satisfying result, he checked the time - almost ten-thirty. I still have time , he said to himself. On to the next bouquet, he took two stargazer lilies, some white carnations, eucalyptus baby blue, and feverfew. Finishing by wrapping the arrangement with a combination of beige and white paper, adding a gold ribbon for accent. He placed both bouquets in a box, and carefully walked briskly back to the station after locking up the shop. He’s never made an arrangement this fast, and he had his years of experience to thank for. Not to mention Kiyoko’s outstanding mentorship.
“I’m here!” he announced. Kiyoko and the producer thanked him endlessly. They were speechless at the beauty Suga produced, and hell, even his boss was amazed, with her hands on her lips.
“Kindly give the props to our model over there,” the producer directed after clearing his throat. He was pointing at Daichi’s back. Suga cautiously walked to him, careful not to bump into the lightbox or trip on the wires.
“Excuse me,” he said. Daichi turned to him, and Suga thought he was looking at a Greek god. The man looked sculpted, like the ones you would see in a museum. He bet thousands of Yen that the man in front of him is even more gorgeous without makeup on. The off-white tunic he was wearing made him look like royalty, the gold lace and embroidery made it look even better.
“Hm? Oh, the flowers! Wow, this is gorgeous,” the beauty complimented.
“You a--I mean, yes, thank you.” What the fuck?! he screamed to himself. “This is for Misaki-san.”
“Thanks!” Am I in heaven? Suga asked himself when a gorgeous, warm smile was directed at him. He returned to Kiyoko’s side and noticed the insane beating of his heart. He had met attractive men, but none of them has done this to him - he’s sure he’s straight.
“Alright, Daichi, you may join her now,” the photographer instructed. They silently observed the pair moving gracefully; even the way Daichi gave the flowers to Misaki screamed of elegance.
After the first set, they all moved to the next area: the garden. The models changed to a contemporary style of clothing. Misaki wore a beautiful lilac chiffon dress with short bell sleeves, while Daichi wore an unbuttoned white shirt and a pair of black trousers. Again, Suga found himself staring.
“Excuse me?” His gaze panned to the photographer, who seemed to have been trying to get his attention for a while. “Do you think we could have some petal confetti?”
“Oh, yes. We have artificial ones just in case it was needed. Is that okay?”
“Perfect! Taketora, use these on my cue and tell your sister’s team not to take too long on the retouch. We don’t want to waste good natural lighting.”
“Got it, Kuroo-san.”
“They look wonderful, don’t they?” the man named Kuroo asked.
“Yes, they look great together,” Suga answered.
“Wanna see the photos?” A smug question and without thinking, he found himself staring at the monitor. A mix of “Wow,” and “Beautiful,” came out of his mouth. Kuroo wanted to show more until Daichi butted in with a “Kuroo, we’re ready.” He’d sounded oddly bossy, compared to his previous words.
“Roger that, captain. Alright team,” he announced. “For this part, on my cue, Taketora will pour out a little flower confetti. We’ll take individual photos first; feel free to move however you want” he explained as he pressed play on the Bluetooth speaker to help with the atmosphere.
The second part of the photoshoot felt even more heavenly than the first, even though the dancers were wearing their full gear costumes. They move freely as if they were performing, enticing the audience, not to mention the gorgeous lines on their body - beautiful muscles, long necks, and a breathtaking form that are the results of years of hard work and discipline. Misaki looked gorgeous and no one could deny that, but his eyes were focused on Daichi for a reason that he couldn’t understand.
The couple’s skin bathed under the beauty of the sunset which gave the setting a more mature feel. Their bodies were so close that their lips were about to touch, which was perhaps what Kuroo was aiming for. “That’s a wrap!” He announced, followed by a round of applause. Kiyoko handed over the congratulatory bouquet for Misaki.
“Excuse me.”
Suga turned to see the one and only prima ballerina leaning in to talk to him. “Yes?”
“The bouquets you made were gorgeous, especially the heart-shaped one. You’re amazing!” she complimented after an exchange of “Thank you for the hard work.”
“Thank you very much! It’s yours if that’s alright with you.”
“Are you kidding? I would love to! Sorry, I’m being rude here. I’m Misaki. A pleasure to meet you.”
“Same here. My name’s Sugawara Koushi,” he said, handing out his business card.
“Oh, no wonder you guys look familiar. Your shop is close to my house. I bought some flowers there way back.” They spoke as if they’d known each other for quite some time, but were cut off by the producer calling in all the staff for a huddle.
“Great work today, everyone! We couldn’t have done it without all of your hard work. Let’s all do our best to stick to the schedule the DANCE magazine gave us. In the meantime, we’ll be distributing VIP invitations courtesy of the Tokyo Dance Company to those who are here as part of their ways to give thanks. Again, thank you, and we’ll see you all in two weeks.”
Suga was in awe at the invitation on hand. His first gala night, his first time to watch a ballet play. Sure, they’ll be working their butt off from the morning until the afternoon, but he had a hunch it would all be worth it.
“I have nothing to wear!” complained Suga. The gala night was just a few days away, and their shop had never been this busy.
“Just wear a suit and tie, and you’re good to go,” suggested Tanaka. “My dad is forcing me to wear a kimono . I don’t like it.”
“Really? Kiyoko’s wearing a kimono for the gala night, too.”
“What?! Why didn’t you say so?! Alright, I’m gonna wear a kimono , too! Kiyoko-san is beautiful, I bet she’s breathtaking in traditional clothes.”
“Ah, welcome!” Their conversation was interrupted by the two ballerinas they worked with from before - Misaki and Daichi.
“Good afternoon, Suga-san!” greeted Misaki. Suga gave his greeting in return, but his eyes were focused on Daichi, whom he exchanged bows with.
“How’s your rehearsal?”
“Tiring! But they let us off early because we had costume fittings today.”
“Good work today. Anything I can help you with?”
“I’m looking for some artificial plants to decorate my room with.” Misaki showed him a photo from the internet that caught her interest, which Suga and Tanaka quickly took care of.
“I’ll look at the storage room,” Tanaka said. Suga sighed in relief.
“Kiyoko- san ’s not here?” Misaki asked.
“She’ll be here later. She has a client meeting today for a wedding.” He couldn’t help but notice Daichi’s silent atmosphere- almost fidgety. “That will be a total of ¥1,230.00.”
“Excuse me, how much for this preserved sunflower?” Daichi finally asked.
“That’s for ¥950.00.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Would you like a gift wrapper for it?”
“No need,” he said bluntly, taking a business card from the counter. What a weirdo , Suga said to himself.
Gala night. The venue was yet again adorned with the gorgeous set up by La Vie Est Belle, and everyone from the production team was amazed at how three people managed to decorate the red carpet area and the dining hall. Kiyoko wore a gorgeous pink furisode kimono , with Tanaka by her side wearing a mon-tsuki . As they walked on the red carpet, the paparazzi told them to stand next to each other, mistaking them to be a couple, and Suga did his best to hold in his laughter upon seeing how happy Tanaka was. He, too, was asked to pose on the backdrop they created. He wore a gorgeous sapphire blue tuxedo that had a few silver stone accents on the shoulders that looked like drops of water that had been sewn in by his mom. He also wore a pair of black slacks and oxford shoes.
“Of course you have to look dashing, dear! Who knows, you might score a girl or two,” he recalls his mother saying. He just wanted to look prepared for the event.
They got to their seats just a few minutes before the curtain rose.
“Suga, did you manage to give our bouquet to Misaki-san?” whispered Kiyoko. Suga nodded in confirmation.
The maestro waltzed in surrounded by applause. He moved to the center, bowing, then faced his orchestra. He began to move his arms as the music blasted for a good while. It sounded as if they were being told how the story would feel. The curtains rose, exposing dancers here and there wearing elegant clothing. The princess’ birth , Suga thought to himself. The all-so-familiar scenes still made him feel intrigued by how it was being interpreted. He kept his eyes open for any sight of Misaki and Daichi. The faeries introduce themselves one by one, giving their wishes to the princess in a form of dance. The amazing choreography caught Suga’s interest.
Oh no, Maleficent , he whispered. It wasn’t the same fae he’d seen in the children’s movie. The quality of makeup the dancer has on her face was beautifully intimidating. The same old scene went on. The fae, Carabosse, places a curse on the princess, and is then overpowered by another fae’s magic. The curtain closed for the prologue.
Once again, the maestro walked in, the curtain rose, and they saw a new set. It had a massive staircase on the side, the king and queen wearing clothes more elegant than earlier. A group of dancers walks in with garlands, as a familiar tune of “Once Upon a Dream” plays. Afterward, four men walk to the center then back, and finally, Misaki makes her way to center stage. Gorgeous , Suga sighed. She wore a beautiful pink tutu, her hair fixed to a clean bun with a tiara accentuating her head. She looked full of youth and joy. She began to dance with her suitors, one after the other. Suga whispered words like amazing, wow, and beautiful as he watched how Misaki could stand on her toes for seconds, twirling and hopping to the music. He’s taller than the prima ballerina, but her dance made her appear taller than anything else. Misaki and he were friends, but the amount of respect he has for her grew to a hundred more.
No! He screamed in his head as Carabosse, the evil fae, gave her a strange object. She pricked herself and fell to the ground. The evil fae managed to escape as panic filled the room. The Lilac faerie walks in to explain that the princess is only in deep slumber, as she casts a spell on everyone to experience the same, thus ends Act I with a massive round of applause.
“Wow,” he blurts out. “She’s amazing.”
“Don’t go falling for her now, Suga,” teased Kiyoko.
“What? No, I don’t have a crush on her.”
“Relax, I was just teasing.” Kiyoko, the same as other people in the theater, sat up and walked out to the toilet for a quick break. Suga sat still, still in awe of how overwhelmingly wonderful it was. He has always been familiar with the story, but seeing a whole new interpretation amazed him all the more - even seeing ballet dancers in the flesh is astonishing. Thinking about how much training these people had and how long it took makes him feel passionate about his career. Starting tomorrow, let’s aim higher.
The show resumes, and they are welcomed back by the orchestra. The curtains rise, and not too long after, Suga is mesmerized by the figure that caught his eye. There he is. Finally. His eyes follow Daichi - Prince Désiré - who was wearing a bright red coat. He was full of composure, he had his chin held up high, and his posture made him look humongous than he already is. He already saw Daichi in leotards, but him being on stage gave it a different look. Anyone would feel something upon seeing that sculpted body.
The prince danced with a lovely lady wearing a mustard-colored dress, only then to be interrupted for a hunt. He began to remove his coat to dance by himself, expressing his loneliness. Suga couldn’t stop staring. If Kiyoko saw him, or even his mom, they would tease him that he’s drooling. Daichi had wonderful expressions on his face, and his body barely shook as he tipped on his toes.
The Lilac faerie comes in with a vision of the princess, and the prince fell in love right then and there. Misaki waltzes in wearing a white tutu, showing the prince what it would be like if they were together, inviting him to rescue her from her misery. Daichi looked as if a void in his soul was suddenly filled, he was full of love.
They look perfect together… What would Daichi truly look if he’s with someone he loves? Suga slaps himself on the thought and focused on the show.
They arrived at the castle, only to be welcomed by Carabosse who was easily defeated by the Lilac faerie. Suga thought it wasn’t as full of suspense as the children’s movie, but oh well. The prince kissed the sleeping princess and everyone awakens. They weren’t able to see if the kiss was real since the back of Daichi’s head was facing them, but he’d admit that it made him curious.
The newlyweds, Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré walk in wearing white and gold. They began to dance together, with Misaki bending over for their nose to touch. They look so in love with each other, and Suga wouldn’t be surprised if they were. He let out a soft gasp when Daichi held Misaki on her waist, lifting both of her legs in the air.
For what felt like forever - but in a good way - the play ends and they all stood up, applauding and cheering. Kiyoko and Suga noticed a stage staff hand over a bouquet to Misaki. Their eyes opened wide as they realize it’s the one they gifted her and it rendered them speechless. It seemed like the stars scanned the crowd upon seeing the ribbon on the bouquet. As they walked forward, Suga locked eyes with the prince. Daichi smiled at him with his gentle eyes for a good five seconds - or maybe it only felt like it was him he was looking at. Maybe it was his family at the front.
They made their way to the hall for dinner, once again being asked to take photos on the background they made, except this time it was Kuroo’s team who took the photos. As they sat at their table, champagne is served along with their appetizers. Suga has zero experience with fancy dinners, and this has to be his first time. No amount of delicious steak could compare to the meat on their main dish. Hell, even the mashed potato was delicious! Nothing better than a great dinner over a day of hard work.
“Sorry, Suga, I need to go now,” excused Kiyoko who has a 9:00 meeting for a wedding.
“Don’t worry about it. Tanaka, would you mind driving Kiyoko home?”
“I don’t, but what about you?”
“That’s okay, I’ll just take the cab. I promised to take photos with Misaki-san.”
“Alright. Take care,” they bid farewell.
Suga walked to the cocktail table and grabbed a second glass of champagne as he waits for Misaki who seemed to be busy at the other side of the room bombarded with interviewers.
“May I drink with you?” A tall man asked. “Funny how we almost have the same tuxedo on.” Suga was staring - no, indulging the beauty in front of him. Daichi had his hair swept to the side, standing near him with his cobalt blue velvet dinner jacket with black peak lapel, and a glass of champagne at hand.
“Can you get more handsome than you already are?” Crap! I said it out loud!
His panic turned to ease when he heard Daichi giggle. Wait, is he blushing? No, must be the drink. Wait... am I the one blushing?!
“Thank you. It’s not every day a man compliments me. I mean, I try to look good. Ah, sorry. I’m Daichi - in case you forgot my name.”
Suga shook his hand and said his name in return. “Anyway,” he clears his throat. “You did wonderful out there. It’s my first time watching a ballet play. You all have my utmost respect. You probably trained long and hard to be where you are.”
With that, Daichi said his thanks and it made Suga speechless. No, not because of his words, but because of how he looked at him. He’s not entirely sure, but it looked softer compared to how he looked at Misaki on stage, more lovingly than how he was on stage.
Their silence was interrupted by a camera’s click. Kuroo snuck a photo of them and began to tease “How nice it must be to be in love,” which made the two men turn red and one of them screamed the photographer’s name. “Relax, I’m not going to use this on the magazine spread. Besides, you wouldn’t be here if I didn’t give you a push. Thank me later,” he winks then left.
“Sorry about him, he’s like that all the time.”
“No, it’s okay. You two seem close.”
“Yeah, we’ve known each other since high school. He’s my best friend, along with Misaki.”
“Hm? Best friend? She’s not your girlfriend?”
Daichi let out a laugh which nearly made him tear up. “No, she’s not. See that guy over there? The blond one playing the violin?”
“Yeah.”
“His name’s Yuuji, Misaki’s childhood friend. They’re secretly dating; don’t tell her I told you that,” he whispered. “Oh no, she’s coming.”
“Hey, you two!”
“Hello, Misaki-san.”
“Geez, I told you to call me Misaki or Hana.”
“Um, Misaki,” he said to which the prima ballerina smiled. “Great job today. You were beautiful. I can only imagine how painful it could have been, dancing on your toes and all.”
“Ah, Misaki,” Daichi interrupted. “Suga thought that we’re together.”
“Hey!”
Misaki let out a cute laugh and said “That’s okay, a lot of people say that.”
“I also told him about you and Yuuji,” Daichi added to which she nearly cursed.
“Geez. Wait until I tell Suga that you have a huge crush on h--” he hushed with his hand almost covering her mouth. “Fine, I’ll spare you tonight, Sawamura. Anyway, I’m sorry but I have to go. I’m feeling sleepy already.”
“Ah, me too. I didn’t notice the time. I wonder if I can still hail a cab at this hour.”
“I can give you a ride,” Daichi bravely offers while he heard Misaki’s teasing “Oh?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“I insist,” and those sincere eyes were enough for Suga to give in. He’s just giving me a ride home, why the hell is my heart beating too fast?
“Thank you, you didn’t have to do this.”
“Don’t worry about it. Think of it as a reward for your hard work. The gala would’ve been dull without your team’s arrangements.”
“Sorry, too, about my assumption about you and Misaki.” Suga sneaks a glance at the man whose eyes are focused on the road - as they should be - and something about it makes him wonder: Could this man get any more handsome? This should be illegal.
Daichi let out a giggle that somehow - in a really confusing way - comforts Suga. He’ll have to find out in another day. Right now, he’s directing the former on where he lives. “Yeah, about that, do you want to know a secret?”
Suga became intrigued and gave a shy “Yes.”
“I’m gay.”
“What-- no, I mean… for real?”
“For real,” he confidently said. “You seem surprised.”
“No, um… I don’t mean to offend you, but you don’t look like it. I mean-- sorry, I’m still confused about the whole LGBTQ thing. Oh, we’re here.”
“Wait, this is the flower shop.”
“Yeah, I live upstairs. Kiyoko owns the building, and I’m renting the free space upstairs. Anyway, thanks for the ride. It was nice talking to you.”
“Any time. Good night, Suga.”
“Goo-- oh, wait! Do you have a LINE account?”
“Hm? Yeah, I do.”
“Give it here.” Though confused, Daichi handed out his phone to Suga as instructed.
“There.” Daichi noticed a new message in his mail; it was a cute hello sticker from Suga. “Let me know when you get home so that I know you got home safely. I mean, it’s just out of concern.”
The hell you’re making an excuse for?! He screamed to himself.
“Sure, I’ll do that.” Again, with that soft smile that he’s been seeing since the first day they met.
“Good night, Daichi. Drive safe!” Suga bid as he closed the door. He noticed how Daichi only left by the time he turned on the lights in his small space.
After a quick shower, his phone pinged with a new message notification.
Daichi: I just got home.
Suga: Great! Good night, Daichi. Congratulations and great job on your performance.
Daichi: Thank you, that means a lot to me. Good night, Suga. Sweet dreams.
Suga groaned after he felt a smile forming from that short conversation. “Again with the heartbeat!” he complained.
Maybe he’s just nice. Right, it’s just his personality.
- to be continued -